Railway section car



Nov. '10, 1931. w. ELMER RAILWAY SECTION CAR Filed April 11,' 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet l l' .||||||/u||||.|.||| u|||||||aunnnunuwndlhn"u: wluh, ,v N15.

All?! IN VEN TOR: William Emiel;

ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 10, 1931.

W. ELMER RAILWAY SECTION GAR Filed April l1, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVENTOR: Milam Eimer; BY KM TTORNE YS.

Nov. 10, 1931. w. ELMER 1,830,785

RAILWAY SECTION CAR Filed April 11, 1931 5 sheets-sham 5 INVENTOR.- Milaan -Elma;

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATESv WILLIAM Emana, orrmLAnErrHrA, PENNSYLVANIA Application filed April 11, 1931.` SerialNo. 529,355.

My invention relates to cars of a type adapted for use by section and repair men on the railroad, and the various novel features thereof may be applied to a motor propelled Y 5 car, or a hand car, or a trailer.

structure as a lplatform upon which such ma`u terials as rails, oint bars, tools or other rail 15 way equipment may be carried from onek point `to another. i

Accordingly, the primary object rof the present invention is to provide a convertible section car which, when assembled in one Y 2o form, is particularly adapted for carrying men; and when assembled in another form, is particularly adapted for carryingmaterial.

This invention is particularly characterized by the provision of a plurality of deck v'2.5 sections and other members associated therewith adapted for alternate arrangement to afford, in the one case, a fiat continuous deck, and in the other case, a stepped formation in which the deck sections and associated memso bers serve as seats and as back, leg and foot rests.

This invention is also characterized by the provision of collapsible members which, when the car is arranged to affordseats, serve as hand rails for the men seated thereon and which, when the car is used for carrying material, may be housed beneath the deck. p This invention is further characterized by the provision of a box-like underframe which is adapted-to accommodate the hand rails referred to above when they are collapsed, and which may also accommodate toolssuch as those commonly used for track laying operations or the like. f

drawngs. i I

Other objects and advantages characteriseA ample thereof as shown in the accompanyingk Of the drawings: Y

Fig, I represents a side elevation, partly in section, of the car when used for carrying men.

Fig. II represents a similar View, partly in section, when the car is used for carrying materal- `1 Fig. III represents an end elevatin,`partly in section, of the car when used for carrying men.

Fig. IV represents a similar view, partly in-section, when the car isfusedfor carrying material.; and,

Fig. V represents an enlarged cross section taken as indicated by the lines V-V of Fig. I. n

In the section car shown inthe drawings, the underframe comprises side sills l and end sills 2, disposed in `the form of a rectangle and preferably constituting.aluminum channel beams. The side and end` sills l and' 2, togetherwith a flat plate 3 attached to the bottom flanges thereof, form a boX'in which tools `may be conveniently accommodated. A transverse I-beam i may alsobe inserted, as shown, aty the center of the underframe. The running gear, comprising axles 5 and wheels 6, is shown secured to the underframe in a conventional manner. On the top flanges of the side and end sills l andf2, brackets 7 and Stare mounted, these brackets affording pivotal connections for the deck Vsections of the superstructure. The deck sections and their associated members comprise a number of planks), 10, 11, `12 and 13, disposed `longitudinally of the car and hinged (with thelexception of the seat members 11 which are stationary) to the underframe and to each other in suchmanner that when folded they form a continuous fiat deck, as shown in Figs,v II and IV, and when unfolded they forln aV stepped formation, as shown in Figs. I and HI.v f

The deck sections' 10 are hinged to the brackets? at lland are adapted to be. swung upward and outwardly from their horizontal positions shown in Fig. IV tothe vertical at there are additional planks 9, which, when the car superstructure is converted to a flat deck, are folded on the underside of the sections 10, but which, when the sections 10 are swung outward to the positions shown in Figs. 1 and IH, lform foot rests and running boards for the car. Each deck section 11 is permanently attached to the underframe and serves as a seat for the lower tier of men when the car is adapted for seating purposes.` When men are seated on the seatmembers 11, their legs overhang the deck sections 10 and their feet rest on the foot members 9. Deck sections 12 are pivoted at one side to the brackets 8, and at the other side they carry the seat members 13 hinged thereto at 16.

When the deck sections 12 are in horizontal position, the seat members 13 are folded therebeneath as shown in Fig. 1V. YWhen the deck sections 12 are swung upward to vertical position, the members 13 are swung 4upward to horizontal position to serve as seats for the upper tier of workmen. The deck sections 12 and seat members 13 supported in the latter positions by part of the tubular railing equipment hereinafter described.

The deck sections 10 and 12 preferably comprise metal plates, and their top surfaces may conveniently be provided with wearing strips extending transversely of the car to facilitate the sliding of heavy material, Vsuch as rails or ties, across the car. lVhen the deck sections 10 and 12 are in horizontal position, they extend well clear of the running gear at the sides and ends ofthe car, and accordingly there is no danger of striking the running gear when heavy material is slid on and od the sides or ends of the car.

It will be observed that when the various deck sections and other members are folded to form a at platform, those members 9, 11 and 13, associated therewith, which are beneath the platform, are nested between the underframe and the deck sections 10 and 12 in a minimum of space, and the platform is centrally supported in a bracket 17 mounted on the transverse I-beam 4.

The hand railings provided for the safety joined to the upright members by T-shaped connections 21. The upright members 18 are attached to the end sills 2 by hinges 22, and, as

shown in Fig. II, they are adapted to be swung inward and downward to collapsed positions in which they rest upon the bottom plates 3 and are completely confined within the box-like underframe. The horizontal Y members 19 and 20 comprise telescoping' tubes normally maintained in extended 'po-` sition by cotter pins 23. `When it is desired Vto `collapse the hand railings,thecentral tubular member 20 is, after removal of the cotter pins 23, telescoped over one of the end members 19 and the two parts are swung in an obvious manner about the corresponding upright member 18. Subsequently the three members 18, 19 and 2O folded upon themselves are bodily swung inward and downward to the position shown in Fig. 1I.

The-upright members 18 are bent outward at 24 to vclear the ends ofthe seat members 13. The hand railings may be collapsed while the deck sections 12 and seat members 13 are temporarily held aside bybeing folded together and swung outward. The hand railings are thus adapted to pass through the deck sections from the upper side to the underside. On each upright member 18 there is provided a cross bar 26, preferably joined thereto by welding. lVhen the uprights 18 are swung upward to vertical position, they are flexed about theirhinges 22 to positions slightly beyond the vertical and then, after the deck sections and their associated fiat members have been unfolded to form seats,the uprights 18 are allowed to spring back into a truly vertical position. Vhen the uprights 18 spring back in this manner, the cross bars 26 catch beneath the seat members 13 and serve to support these members in a horizontal position. Near the'ends of the cross bars 26, each seat member 13 is formed with a shoulder providing an angular notch 25, as shown in Fig. V, the engagement of the upright members 18 in the notches 25 servingy to maintain the deck sections 12 in vertical position. Furthermore, the seat members 13 may be secured to each other by hooks 29. Accordingly, the railings and deck sections co-operate in edecting the alternate arrangements of the car superstructure by which the car is in the one form adapted for seating Vworkmen and in the other form adapted for carrying material.

To prevent the deck sections 10 when used as leg rests, as shown in Figs. I and III, from swinging incident to motion of the car, I

' may provide suitable means, such as the pipes 27v and pins 28, for tieing the opposite sections together across the bottom ofthe underframe. Y

Itwillbe apparent that the particular means selected for bracing or holding the deck sections in their alternate positions and the particular manner in which the deck sections and hand rail members foldv and unfold admit of considerable variation; and my `invention Y contemplates various departures from the form of the apparatus herein described and illustrated. l

Having thus described my invention, l claim Y l 1. In a railway car of the character described, an underframe, and a plurality of flat members thereon adapted for alternate arrangement to afford either a flat deck or a stepped formation, including leg rests and running boards overhanging the wheels of the car.

2. In a railway car of the character described, an underframe, and a plurality of flat members thereon adapted for alternate arrangement to aord either a continuous fiat deck or a stepped formation in which the flat members serve as seats and as foot,-leg andv back rests, with the foot and leg rests overhanging the wheels of the car.

3. In a railway car of the character deL scribed, an underframe, and a plurality of flat members hinged to each other and to the underframe and adapted for alternate arrangement to afford either a flat deck or a stepped formation in which certain of the flat members overhang the wheels of the car and are tied together beneath said underframe.

4. In a railway car ofthe character described, an underframe, and a plurality of fiat members kthereon adapted for alternate arrangement to afford either a continuous flat kdeck or tiers of seats.

5. In a railway car of the character described, a box-like underframe and collapsible members thereon serving as railings, said members being adapted to be folded and housed within said underframe.

6. In a railway car of the character described, a box-like underframe and railings attached thereto, said railings comprising upright and horizontal members adapted to be folded upon each other and to be collapsed to a position within said underframe.

7. In a railway car of the character described, an underframe, upright members pivoted thereon, horizontal members pivoted on said upright members, said members serving as railings and being adapted to be folded upon themselves and swung downward to a position within said underframe.

8. In a railway car of the character described, an underframe, upright members pivoted thereon and horizontal'members comprising telescoping sections with a pivotal connection to said upright members, said members serving as railings and beingadapted to be collapsed to a position within said underframe.

9. In a railway car of the character de scribed, an underframe, a plurality of hinged deck sections, and a collapsible railing comprising members adapted to be folded upon themselves, and when thus collapsed to be housed beneath said deck sections.

l0. In a railway car of the character described, an underframe, a plurality of deck sections and other flat members thereon adapted for alternate arrangement to afford either a fiat deck or a stepped formation, and collapsible hand rails comprising members adapted to be folded upon themselves and when thus collapsed to be housed `beneath themselves and swung downward to a posiy tion beneath said deck sections.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 6th d ay of April, 1931.

a WILLIAM ELMER. 

